Happy Birthday GKC

Happy 136th birthday.

for mom

I have recently come across the life and writings of Cardinal Mindszenty. A very interesting and holy life.

In his writings you can hear the similar tones and melodies Gilbert expressed, especially when talking of motherhood. Another similarity between the Cardinal and Gilbert is that Alec Guinness played the Cardinal in The Prisoner (loosely based on Mindszenty’s imprisonment) and he played GKC’s Father Brown.

I know we are a few days past Mothers day but then again any day is a good day to honor Mother. Here is the preface of Cardinal Mindszenty’s book Motherhood:

The Most Important Person on earth is a mother. She cannot claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral. She need not. She has built something more magnificent than any cathedral-a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby's body…The angels have not been blessed with such a grace. They cannot share in God's creative miracle to bring new saints to Heaven. Only a human mother can. Mothers are closer to God the Creator than any other creature; God joins forces with mothers in performing this act of creation…What on God's good earth is more glorious than this: to be a mother?

-Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty